


In Trouble Again

by raptor_moon



Category: The Listener (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-13 05:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2139060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptor_moon/pseuds/raptor_moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Attempting to help someone has left Toby as the one needing help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Set season 1 
> 
> The Listener shows on late night TV in my area, so I have only seen a few season 1 and one season 2 episode.

Toby felt the damp grass against his face. The cold morning dew seeped into his clothes and he shivered. He knew he was at risk of hypothermia if he wasn’t found soon. That is, if he wasn’t already dying from blood loss or other internal injuries. He knew he should move, but he couldn’t…he hurt too much. He remembered moving some time earlier, and passing out on the median strip, but nothing before that. He could only hope that help would find him in time.


	2. Always Darkest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby begins to remember.

A bright light…but somehow Toby knew he shouldn't go towards it. A bright light and a loud sound…a horn sounded…Toby managed to roll out of the way of the oncoming vehicle, and then staggered to the median. These memories returned as Toby awoke again. A rosy glow was starting to paint the sky, hopefully illuminating someone to his presence on the medium. His shoulder throbbed from where it had hit the pavement, as he had tried to tuck his head in as they pushed him off the back of the truck. He remembered now their hope that he would be hit by a vehicle on the busy road so an autopsy would attribute his injuries to an accident rather than the beating they had administered. He still couldn't remember why they were beating him, or who he hoped would come for him. He wasn't even sure who he was right now. He knew they thought the blow to the head would kill him, and if he didn't get help soon it might.


	3. Oz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oz is angry.

Oz was angry. It wasn't as if he didn't like the new guy, but he enjoyed working with Toby, even if he drove him nuts sometime. But it wasn’t like Toby to not call in, even if it was some flimsy excuse to cover his latest “case” he was investigating. He was worried, though he didn’t want to admit it. His thoughts were interrupted when the radio crackled to life.

“We need an ambulance along the median of Central Avenue near 5th street. Police have found an unconscious white male, mid-twenties, suspected assault victim lying on the median.”

Oz turned the ambulance towards the scene while his partner logged the call.


	4. Unintended Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby heard a cry for help, trouble naturally ensued.

Toby looked in the basement window. He saw several young women, some barely teenagers, wearing only skimpy lingerie and hand-cuffed together, reminiscent of pictures from his history books of slaves being prepared for transport. He could hear their frightened thoughts, many in languages he could not understand, but one or two in English and realized they were what they looked like, young women kidnapped to be sold as slaves in other lands. He needed to get help immediately, but as he reached for his phone, sparks exploded behind his eyes and the world fell black.

“How did you find us? Who tipped you off?” A hand yanked Toby’s hair, roughly pulling his head up. He squinted in the bright light as he sat up and realized he was tied to a chair, one ankle to each chair leg and arms behind the back of the chair, his wrists secured together and tied down to the chair as well. His head throbbed and he could found he could not focus the thoughts around him; it was all a distracting jumble. He was not expecting the sudden blow to his midsection, robbing him of breath as a wave of nausea rolled over him.

“No one,” Toby croaked.

“Wrong answer,” the words were punctuated to another blow to his ribs, practically lifting him off the chair. The next blow was to his kidneys. He lost track of the blows from his attackers in a mist of red and pain and was shocked when the assault paused.

“Try again.”

Toby knew he needed to come up with a believable lie if he had a prayer of getting out of here alive, let alone getting help for the girls. He took a deep breath and gasped at the pain from his ribs. “I knelt to tie my shoe, I heard a noise that drew my eyes to the window, I saw a glimpse of skimpy lingerie, I’m a guy, I looked.” That comment was rewarded with a low blow that left his eyes watering. “Look, man, if you are making an illegal porno or something, I’m not going to say anything. Just let me know where I can get a copy when you’re done.” Toby sensed they were buying it, but the last thought he picked up was _how are we going to dispose of the body_ before his head exploded in pain and darkness swallowed him again.


	5. Revelations

Oz brought the ambulance to a stop just behind the police car at the scene, and hopped out. He went to grab the response kit and found the new guy had already grabbed it. Angry thoughts ran through Oz’s head again as the easy camaraderie and smooth response he had with Toby was missing. 

“Toby, I ought to hit you for not even bothering to call in!” 

The victim was curled on his side, his back towards Oz as he approached. He saw the victim flinch in fear. 

“It’s ok, we’re here to help.” Oz began as he knelt and placed the backboard beside the victim.

“I’m sorry.” The whispered comment confused Oz until he gently turned the victim onto his back.

“Toby!” _Crap, what happened to you._ “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you now.” 

“Tell Sgt. McCluskey, 47th and industrial, girls,” Toby coughed up frothy red blood, “girls held prisoner…”

“I’ll tell her. Just hang on.”


	6. Breaking Through

Oz made the call while he drove towards the hospital, one ear on what was happening with Toby in the back, the other in conversation with Sgt. McClusky.

“Look, he wasn’t up to saying anymore. He just gave the address and said that girls were being held prisoner. It’s obviously serious, because someone beat him to a pulp before dumping him on the street and …” Oz’s voice trailed off as he became focused on what was happening in the back of the ambulance.

“We have obvious broken ribs, no bones protruding, but I have no sounds of respiration from the right lung. I believe the lung may be collapsed. Patient has begun to struggle to breathe and has increasing tachycardia. Possible tension pneumothorax.”

“Oz, how long to the ER?”

“Another 5 minutes,” Oz cursed as the early morning rush hour traffic slowed his progress again.

“Blood pressures dropping.”

Oz heard various alarms going off and cursed to the world in general.

“Oz, what’s going on?” McCluskey asked.

“Toby’s coding in the back!”

“Coding…”

“He’s dying…I said he would get himself killed doing his hero thing. Save those girls so he doesn’t die in vain.” Oz hung up and practically swung the ambulance onto the curb to get around a stalled truck.

“If you can avoid the bounce, I’m about to do a needle decompression back here.”

“Are you sure?” Oz knew it was the proper treatment, but the thought of plunging a 3.25 inch long needle into Toby’s chest to release the air pressure that was strangling his heart terrified him.

“Unfortunately, I had lots of practice with this as a medic in Iraq while I was in service. And it’s done!”

Oz could hear the beeping begin to slow and alarms begin to turn off, as he made the final turn towards the hospital. He’d done his job, getting Toby here. Now it was up to the doctors, and Toby.

“You’ve got to make it.” Oz thought as he helped to unload the stretcher with Toby from the ambulance.


End file.
